Osmotic delivery system, osmotic delivery system semipermeable body assembly, and method for controlling delivery rate of beneficial agents from osmotic delivery systems

An osmotic delivery system plug for controlling a delivery rate of a beneficial agent in an osmotic delivery system comprising:

• a semipermeable body at least partially positionable in an opening in an enclosure of an osmotic delivery system, the semipermeable body including a hollow interior portion having a size selected to obtain a predetermined liquid permeation rate through the semipermeable body, the liquid permeation rate for controlling a delivery rate of a beneficial agent in an osmotic delivery system.

An osmotic delivery system comprising:

• an enclosure having an opening and a delivery port, said enclosure having an interior holding a liquid swellable osmotic agent and a beneficial agent, said liquid swellable osmotic agent for imbibing liquid from a surrounding environment and causing a delivery rate of said beneficial agent from said enclosure;
• a plug having a semipermeable body at least partially positioned in the opening, the semipermeable body including a hollow interior portion having a size selected to obtain a predetermined liquid permeation rate through the semipermeable body, the liquid permeation rate for controlling the delivery rate of the beneficial agent in the osmotic delivery system.

A method of changing a liquid permeation rate through a semipermeable body of an osmotic delivery system to increase a delivery rate of a beneficial agent from the osmotic delivery system, the method comprising the steps of:

• making a semipermeable body having a liquid permeability coefficient and a thickness;
• and
• changing said thickness of said semipermeable body to alter a liquid permeation rate through said semipermeable body.

A method of varying a liquid permeation rate through a semipermeable body of an osmotic delivery system in which a liquid impermeable sleeve is mounted on the semipermeable body to vary a delivery rate of a beneficial agent from said osmotic delivery system, the method comprising the step of moving said liquid impermeable sleeve along an exterior surface of said semipermeable body to vary an amount of surface area of said exterior surface that is immediately exposed to liquids when said osmotic delivery system is located in a liquid environment of use.

A method of varying a liquid permeation rate through a semipermeable body of an osmotic delivery system to vary a delivery rate of a beneficial agent from the osmotic delivery system, the method comprising the step of:

• selecting a desired liquid permeation rate through the semipermeable body of the osmotic delivery system;
• and
• providing a plurality of semipermeable body elements in abutting relation to one another to define said semipermeable body and to achieve said selected liquid permeation rate.

An osmotic delivery system comprising:

• a liquid impermeable enclosure having an interior holding a beneficial agent and an osmotic agent for imbibing liquid from a surrounding environment and causing delivery of said beneficial agent from said liquid impermeable enclosure;
• a semipermeable body in liquid communication with said liquid impermeable enclosure for permitting liquid to permeate through said semipermeable body to said osmotic agent;
• a liquid impermeable sleeve separate from said liquid impermeable enclosure and surrounding a portion of a surface of said semipermeable body such that said portion of said surface is not immediately exposed to liquid when said osmotic delivery system is located in a liquid environment of use and such that said semipermeable body includes an exposure surface defined by an area of said surface that is not surrounded by said liquid impermeable sleeve and is immediately exposed to liquids when said osmotic delivery system is located in the liquid environment of use.

An osmotic delivery system comprising:

• an enclosure having an opening and a delivery port, said enclosure having an interior holding a liquid swellable osmotic agent and a beneficial agent, said liquid swellable osmotic agent for imbibing liquid from a surrounding environment and causing a delivery rate of said beneficial agent from said enclosure;
• and
• a plug having a semipermeable body, the plug being at least partially positioned in the opening, the semipermeable body having an exposure surface that is immediately exposed to liquids when the osmotic delivery system is located in a liquid environment of use, said exposure surface including a conical surface.